“The Joy Wheel” by Ian McRae Directed by Jason Alexander
“Brilliantly acted. Jason Alexander smoothly and sure-handedly directs…one of the most effective opening, introductory scenes” – Broadway World
“Hilarious comedy…ending in a beautifully heartfelt way. Riveting ensemble, the takeaway will resonate long after play’s end” – Stage and Cinema
“Sexy, and hysterical comedy which will entertain and delight. Talented actor/director Jason Alexander keeps the laughs coming and the tale unraveling with gusto. Never a dull moment…excellent cast” – LA Splash
“A terrific, raucous comedy filled with vividly written characters that conjure up memories of the best of Neil Simon, seasoned with whiffs of the head-butting “Honeymooners,” and served up with delicious, outrageous sexual frankness by Jason Alexander’s superb direction” – Paul Myrvold/Theatre Notes
Paul Myrvold’s Theatre Notes
The Alamo; The Last Great American Bar
The totality of the play is simultaneously humorous and heartbreaking. There’s not an ounce of sentimentality here, McRae’s language is polished to a tee, Joey and Carmen and by association the other dramatis personae in The Alamo, join a rare club of truly memorable characters in the catalogue of American dramaturgy, and I am seriously talking about Eugene O’Neill, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Lorraine Hansberry, Tony Kushner. I predict a rich future for this play and the people who inhabit it.
-People’s World
Thanks to (Kent Thompson’s) brilliant direction and McRae’s incredibly well drawn characters expertly performed by an outstanding cast, once you see THE ALAMO you will have no doubt as to why performances are selling out.
-BROADWAY WORLD
Exceptional performers… deft dialogue, vivid characterizations and resonant emotionalism. A fresh and dynamic playwright who writes from the heart and who evokes a heartfelt response from us in turn.
– LA TIMES
Playwright Ian McRae has nailed it: these are not characters from a play but folks walking around the neighborhood and stopping by the local gin mill for a quick one. There are lots of secrets in this crowd, and each is a fascinating glimpse at how the salt-of-the-earth locals deal with death, envy, love, and stress. THE ALAMO is blessed with an excellent cast who ably breathe life into these stimulating and sometimes unpredictable people. They epitomize the comic in what could be tragic.
-SPLASH MAGAZINE
The Alamo, beautifully directed by Kent Thompson is an outstanding piece of theater, the actors are all on top of their game. It’s funny, touching, and at times heartbreaking. I found myself engrossed in the lives of these characters caring about every one of them. It’s definitely a must see for anyone who loves theater.
-THE LOS ANGELES BEAT
In the close confines of The Ruskin Theatre, the cast as an ensemble delivers performances of indelible truth. It is breathtaking theatre at its very best.
-Paul Myrvold’s Theater Notes
Culver City News (same as Broadway World):http://www.culvercitynews.org/the-alamo-the-only-way-to-survive-any-battle-is-to-never-surrender-your-self/
Curtain Up: http://www.curtainup.com/alamola18.html
Hollywood Revealed: http://www.hollywoodrevealed.com/a-fight-well-fought-at-the-alamo-now-running-at-ruskin-group-theatre/
LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-alamo-play-review-20180302-story.html
LA Splash: http://splashmagazines.com/index.php/2018/02/27/the-alamo-review-a-poplar-tree-grows-in-brooklyn/
Santa Monica Mirror: https://smmirror.com/2018/02/alamo-open-santa-monicas-ruskin-theater-february-24-2018/
http://stageraw.com/2018/03/22/the-alamo-theater-review/=
Theatre Notes: https://paulmyrvoldstheatrenotes.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/the-alamo-at-the-ruskin-group-theatre/
Will Call: http://willcall.org